Some cases look so cool that they have to be great. Yeah I know that is a stupid way to view the worlds, but at times it is nice to be naïve. All isn’t gold that glimmers is an old saying that I completely dislike. Sadly it is true when it comes to the CapsuleRebel from SwitchEasy. It might not be that bad, but it glimmered as gold.
The CapsuleRebel for the iPhone 4 is a completely reworked model when compared to the iPhone 3G version. Where the earlier model had more silicone giving it a lot of extra grip the iPhone 4 version has more hard plastic. This makes the new version improved when it comes to being rigid, and holding the silicone in place.
Putting the case on is really simple, as it comes out of the box already assembled. Just twist, and push to get the phone in. The silicone is not rubberized on either inside or outside. You can dismantle the two layers, but why would you.
For protection the CapsuleRebel is really good, and this is one point where it earns my respect. The hybrid hard case and silicone absorbs impact really well. The back, sides and some of the screen are protected well. There is a lip extending on the front around the edges of the screen allowing you to place the phone screen down. The volume and silent buttons are covered by silicone, and even though they are easy to work with they feel hard due to the silicone not being soft. The mute switch, headphone socket and sync socket are open. There is both a headphone plug, and sync socket plug included to protect those as well. To me that means more plastic to carry around, and loose somewhere. The thought is nice though. Screen film for the screen and small stand are included as well making it a complete package.
Where the case falters for me is the grip, and tabletop usage. Starting off with grip the case is really slippery. During normal conditions this is not such a big problem, but if you exercise or are out in the rain the risk of dropping the phone increases dramatically. I do not understand why the silicone has got a sort of plastic feeling instead of rubberized. When playing games this is somewhat remedied by placing your fingers on the cool organic patterns on the back. The second problem is that the back is uneven in a bad way. A case can be unevenen in a good way such as the Speck GeoMetric that still allows for tabletop usage. When trying to use the phone for just about anything using the CapsuleRebel you have to hold it in your hand or balance it on your lap. Having it flat on a table is impossible as it wobbles. The case is highest on the middle of the back. There is no way to just slide the iPhone into action to for example check your calendar during a meeting. The phone will wobble, and it will make a lot of noise to the bemusement of the people in the room.
To me the CapsuleRebel has one of the coolest most inventive designs on the market. Sadly it isn’t practical in any sense, other than doing a really good job protecting the phone. Then it needs to add that extra protection too, because compared to other hybrid and silicone cases the risk of dropping it is much higher.
In the end I have to conclude that all isn’t gold that glimmers. The almost evil looking CapsuleRebel doesn’t manage to mix form with function good enough. Still it scores some good points for protection still making me able to recommend it. Take the issues of grip and uneven back into consideration before buying though.
Final Rating
CapsuleRebel at SwitchEasy.com $27.99 Available in 7 cool versions.
